Vapor electric apparatus.



PATENTED 001123, 1906.

G. P. STEINMETZ.

VAPOR ELECTRIC APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY I 1904.

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CHARLES P. STEINMETZ, OF SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GENERALELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

VAPOR ELECTRIC APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 23, 1906.

Application filed Jilly 1 1904. Serial No- 214,884.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES P. STEIN- METZ, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Schenectady, county of Schenectady, State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in'VaporElectric Apparatus, of which the following is a specificat-ion.

My present invention relates to vapor electric apparatus, and moreespecially to devices of this character in which magnetic cores orplungers are utilized for starting.

In apparatus of this character it is essential in the proper operationthereof that the current therein shouldflow in a given direction. Whencurrent is applied to the apparatus in the opposite direction, theapparatus, although it does not start, is apt to have its operatingparts damaged by the momentary passage of current even though thiscurrent in the wrong direction be small. I therefore make the magneticcores or plungers of apparatus of this character of magnetized hardenedsteel. The polarity is so chosen as to make the cores responsive only tocurrent of the proper direction and irresponsive to current of theopposite direction.

The. novel features which are characteristic of my invention are pointedout with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself,however, will be better understood by reference to the followingdescription, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, whichrepresents my invention as applied by Way of illustration to amercury-vapor electric lamp in which the starting action is initiated bymeans of a floating plunger.

In the drawing the lamp-container consists of a tube 1 of indefinitelength surmounted by an enlargement or bulb 2, constituting acondensing-chamber. The upper electrode or anode consists of a hollowcylinder 3 of artificial graphite or the like supported in position nearthe mouth of the tube 1 by means of a depending wire 4, the upper end ofwhich is sealed through the upper portion of the bulb orcondensing-chamber 2. This wire 4 is surrounded by a protecting glasstube 5, the lower end of which flares slightly over the upper end of theelectrode 3.

The lower electrode or cathode of the lamp consists of a body of mercury6, filling the lower end of the tube 1, as well as the contractedextension 7. Electrical connection to the body of mercury is afforded bythe leading-in conductor 8. A hardened-steel plunger 9 of somewhatdumb-bell shape floats in this body of mercury and is guided by thewalls of the contracted extension 7. This plunger is strongly andpermanently magnetized and is preferably inserted in the container withits south pole u permost, whereby the lines of force of the p unger aremore nearly in the direction of the earths magnetic field. Thisarrangement tends to secure permanency of the magnet.

The upper end of the plunger is hollowed out, as indicated in dottedlines, so that upon being once submerged in the mercury the hollow isfilled with mercury, which is retained therein when the upper end of theplunger is allowed to emerge.

For the purpose of starting a carbon filament 10 is suspended from theupper elec trode 3 and extends centrally down the tube 1 through ides 11and 12 and so that its lower end dips into the mercury contained in thecup formed by the top of the plunger 9. A solenoid 13 surrounds thecontracted ex tension 7 and is connected in series with the lamp, asshown. When this solenoid is energized by current in the properdirection through the lamp, the polarized p11: nger 9 is drawn downbeneath the surface of the mercury 6. As soon as the plunger falls, sothat the mercury carried thereby is lowered out of contact with thefilament 10, an arc is formed which extends immediately up the filamentto the anode 3 and puts the lamp into normal operation. The are thenflows between the anode3 and the mercury cathode 6.

If current is applied to the lamp in the wrong directionnamely, so as toflow from the cathode 6 to the anode 3the polarized plun er fails to beattracted and is,in fact, repel ed. No interruption of the currentthrough the filament is thus occasioned and the destructive action whichwould otherwise occur at the end of the filament upon such a breaktaking place is thus avoided. The polarity of the solenoid is of courseso arranged as to attract the polarized armature only when current flowsfrom the anode to the cathode 6.

My invention is of course applicable to various other types of vaporelectric devices bination of an envel numerous modifications thereof maybe made, for which reason I do not wish to be limited to the detailsabove described.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States, 'is

' ized magnet for making'and breaking connection between saidelectrodes.

4. In a vapor electric apparatus, a starting device therefor includingasolenoid, and a polarized magnet within the influence of said solenoid.

5. In a vapor'electric apparatus, the combination of an envelop, trodestherefor, a solenoid, and a starting device responsive to current insaid solenoid of one direction only.

a container, elec- In witness whereof I have hereunto set my 0 hand this30th day of June, 1904.

CHARLES P. STEINMETZ.

Witnesses-z BENJAMIN B. HULL, HELEN QRFORD.

